Cardio/Pulmonary Rehabilitation (CROP/PROP)

Leaving the hospital is just the first step in recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery or angioplasty. Heart patients often need to strengthen weakened heart muscles and learn heart-healthy practices. Fort Sanders Regional’s complete Cardiac Rehabilitation Outpatient Program (CROP) combines education, exercise, counseling, and more to help heart patients regain their functional capacity and reduce the possibility of future heart problems.

FSRMC’s Cardiac Rehab is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and serves as a tool for cardiac patients to better their overall health.

Upon arriving at CROP, patients are thoroughly evaluated based on individual knowledge, needs, and preferences. An exercise physiologist assesses each patient’s abilities and creates a personal fitness program to meet their cardiac goals. . During each activity, each patient is supervised by a heart monitor. As a patient’s heart grows stronger, their exercise regimen is adjusted for maximum benefit. The educational component of cardiac rehab involves classes on healthy eating and risk factors for heart and pulmonary diseases.